On Tuesday, November 5th, the United States of America is set to hold an unprecedented Presidential election. As Republican Candidate and Former President Donald Trump and Democratic Nominee and Vice President Kamala Harris vie for public support to their respective campaigns, citizens around the nation, and even the world, start to feel the effects of this tumultuous time. My own social media feed is filled with ads and other clips from debates and interviews with these candidates. To many, this material can cause division, as perspectives are shifted by algorithmic focus of information.
According to The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, “Some scholars claim that Americans are so polarized they are on the brink of civil war.” Polarization is not inherently a bad thing. However, when perspectives naturally differ, it is imperative to prioritize discussion to stay united as a community.
At Haverford, civil discourse is a priority. From Fifth Formers in US History delving into the inner workings of our government to the Harkness Discussions in all levels of English, Haverford has implemented mediums for conversation and dialogue.
Often seen as a paragon of open discussion, the history department and US History teacher Mr. Timothy Lengel in particular have worked to curate spaces for understanding outside of the classroom. After attending one of the Middle Eastern history sessions last year, I was surprised at how helpful it was for my own understanding, as well as how information can be skewed by biased sources. Critical to understanding this election are our unprecedented circumstances.
“We have happened to live in an era of political polarization that is probably unlike anything we’ve seen since the 19th century. We’re living through what is called party realignment. There are certain times when the party structure fundamentally ruptures and shifts,” Mr. Lengel says. “The Republican party, in particular, is fundamentally changing its attitudes on policy and attracting different kinds of voters. Part of this story is that we’re living through a storm, and we don’t know where the tornado is going to drop the pieces.”
History Department Chair Ms. Hannah Turlish expands on the presence of civil debate and misinformation in the country.
“One of the things kids said after the Vice Presidential debate was how nice it was. And I see that as an improvement, but it’s tricky when we have these civil conversations,” Ms. Turlish says. “Everyone’s calm and no one’s calling names, but if someone says something that’s poorly informed, it gets tricky. I can’t let it ride as equal to something with evidence, so I have to point that out. However, I have no control over how people perceive that.”
By prioritizing facts and evidence over preconceived notions, we can create spaces for the back-and-forth that is so integral to discussion. In this way, understanding is key. The previous year, with the initiation of the Israel-Hamas conflict, discussions and history lessons were held in Mr. Lengel’s room, open to all. Even this year, a similar experience was organized by the department regarding the election.
“These are big questions to answer, and I have long argued that it’s very important for the citizens of the United States, broadly speaking, but a young man at Haverford in particular to have areas where they can ask these questions.”
Mr. Timothy Lengel
“It’s my contention that all students are going to grow up to be citizens in a free country and that you need training on how to be democratic citizens,” Mr. Lengel says. “And a large part of that is participating in civil discussion and asking questions.”
Mr. Lengel’s words resonate particularly with those in this community who are still finding their way and what views they identify with. For me, political identity is complicated, as some topics pull me in one direction, and others in a different way. This is most definitely true for many at Haverford, demonstrated by the large number of independently affiliated students in the Haverford Assembly the previous year.
“Trying on identities and asking, ‘what fits? what do I believe?’ is particularly important,” Mr. Lengel says. “These are big questions to answer, and I have long argued that it’s very important for the citizens of the United States, broadly speaking, but a young man at Haverford in particular to have areas where they can ask these questions. I think the school needs to foster and provide those.”
Head of School Mr. Tyler Casertano incorporated similar comments into his words after Ms. Rhonda Brown’s DEI assembly on Monday, September 30th.
MR. Tyler Casertano
“Given the central role that Pennsylvania will play in the election, we can’t allow those messages we’re hearing over social media to impact the fellowship that we have here.”
“What prompted my words then was Ms. Brown’s Reflection on Haverford being a place where people with different backgrounds, interests, and personalities, can come together to form a ‘fellowship,’” Mr. Casertano said. “I reminded the upper school that when we are at our best, we are a place that has a shared identity and experience that allows us to see our differences not as points of division, but as strengths that allow us to be wiser and more dynamic and that give us a greater understanding of humanity.”
Mr. Casertano points to the broader implications of division in our country.
“This is something our country and the world really struggle with. We tend to build those walls around people who have similar worldviews or experiences, and often demonize people who are behind other walls,” Mr. Casertano says. “We are not immune to that at Haverford. Given the central role that Pennsylvania will play in the election, we can’t allow those messages we’re hearing over social media to impact the fellowship that we have here. It will take some work and vigilance to make sure that doesn’t happen, but I have all the confidence in the world that we can and will do that.”
In this sense, the Haverford virtue of the year could not play a more vital role. As a student council member, I can affirm that this virtue was intentionally chosen with the purpose of unity and conversation in mind during the trying times that will be now until New Years, and potentially beyond.
“Humility is the center of that distinction,” Mr. Casertano says. “A conversation for understanding begins with the acknowledgment that the person you’re talking to has the capacity to provide insight you haven’t seen before or information you haven’t considered before. If we go into conversations believing that it’s a competition, we are only going to hear the points that are made through a narrow context, and it creates a defensiveness and a set of walls, whereas humility creates bridges.”
